The department of transportation must be structured to promote efficient and effective operations consistent with fulfilling its statutory duties. The department of transportation must be organized into offices, divisions, and districts as the director of the department of transportation determines necessary, and as provided in this section.

1.    The director shall establish an office of driver and vehicle services to administer the department’s regulatory authority over motor vehicle titling and registration, operator licensing and traffic safety, and motor carriers. Operating expenses for functions performed by the department under chapters 39-04 and 39-05 must be funded by appropriations from collections made under those chapters before deposit into the fund provided by section 54-27-19.

2.    The director shall establish an office of state highways and engineering to administer the department’s authority and responsibilities over the construction, maintenance, and repair of highways in this state, including the operation of district offices.

3. The director may establish an office of transportation planning to administer the department’s authority and responsibilities for planning all surface modes of transportation, budgeting, development of programs and projects, data collection and management, and research. Coordination must be established between the    aeronautics commission planning section and the department of transportation office of planning for airport development as it pertains to surface access.

4.    The director shall establish an office of management services in the department to provide for the employment of human resources, finance and inventory control, automation, and other administrative services.